System and Method for Forest Management Using Stand Development Performance as Measured by Leaf Area Index

Abstract

A system and method for identifying stands or portions thereof that are not growing as expected. In one embodiment, a computer system compares a measured leaf area index of a stand that is determined from remotely sensed data to an expected leaf area index. The computer system identifies stands or portions of stands where the measured leaf area index is greater than the expected leaf area index and/or stands or portions of stands where the measured leaf area index is less than the expected leaf area index. In one embodiment, the comparison is used to identify stands or portions thereof where silviculture treatments may be necessary. In another embodiment, measured vegetation index or leaf area index values are used to manage the growth of secondary crops in a stand. VI or leaf area index values are compared with expected values to determine if silviculture treatments should be applied.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer system comprising:
 a memory for storing a sequence of program instructions;   processor electronics configured to execute the program instructions to identify stands that are not growing as expected by:
 measuring a leaf area index for a stand or portion thereof; 
 comparing the measured leaf area index to an expected leaf area index for the stand; and 
 identifying stands or portions thereof where the measured leaf area index differs from the expected leaf area index. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor electronics execute program instructions to produce a map that indicates one or more stands or portions thereof where the measured leaf area index is above the expected leaf area index. 
     
     
         3 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor electronics execute program instructions to produce a map that indicates one or more stands or portions thereof where the measured leaf area index is below the expected leaf area index. 
     
     
         4 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor electronics execute program instructions to measure the leaf area index of a stand from LiDAR data. 
     
     
         5 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor electronics execute program instructions to measure the leaf area index of a stand from satellite image data. 
     
     
         6 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor electronics execute program instructions to measure the leaf area index of a stand from aerial multispectral data. 
     
     
         7 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor electronics execute program instructions to measure the leaf area index of a stand from aerial hyperspectral data. 
     
     
         8 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor electronics produce a report listing one or more silviculture treatments to be applied to a stand based on the comparison of the measured leaf area index and the expected leaf area index. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer readable media with instructions thereon that are executable by processor electronics to identify stands that are not growing as expected by:
 measuring a leaf area index for a stand or portion thereof;   comparing the measured leaf area index to an expected leaf area index for the stand; and   identifying stands or portions thereof where the measured leaf area index differs from the expected leaf area index.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 instructions executable by the processor electronics to produce a map that indicates one or more stands or portions thereof where the determined leaf area index is above the expected leaf area index.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 instructions executable by the processor electronics to produce a map that indicates one or more stands or portions thereof where the measured leaf area index is below the expected leaf area index.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 9 , further comprising: instructions executable by the processor electronics to measure the leaf area index of a stand from LiDAR data. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 9 , further comprising: instructions executable by the processor electronics to determine a leaf area index of a stand from satellite image data. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 9 , further comprising: instructions executable by the processor electronics to measure a leaf area index of a stand from aerial multispectral data. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 9 , further comprising: instructions executable by the processor electronics to measure a leaf area index of a stand from aerial hyperspectral data. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable media of  claim 9 , further comprising: instructions executable by the processor electronics produce a report, listing one or more silviculture treatments to be applied to a stand based on the comparison of the measured leaf area index and the expected leaf area index. 
     
     
         17 . A computer system comprising:
 a memory for storing a sequence of program instructions;   processor electronics configured to execute the program instructions to manage the grown of an understory crop by:
 receiving a VI index measurement for an area of land; 
 calculating how much of the VI index measurement is due to the understory crop; and 
 producing an indication of where one or more recommended silviculture should to be applied to manage the understory crop based on the calculated VI index measurement. 
   
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 17 , wherein the processor electronics is configured to execute programmed instructions to calculate how much of the VI index measurement is due to the understory crop by:
 receiving a first VI index measurement for the land area during a growing season;   receiving a second VI index measurement for the land area during a non-growing season; and   determining a difference between the first and second VI index measurements as a measure of the VI index value for the understory crop.   
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 17 , wherein the processor electronics is configured to execute programmed instructions to:
 receive LiDAR data for the land area during the same growing season; and   determine a percentage of the LiDAR data points that are reflected at or below a predetermined height that is indicative of an expected height of the understory crop as an estimate of the VI index for the understory crop.   
     
     
         20 . The computer system of  claim 17 , wherein the processor electronics is configured to execute instructions that analyze trends in the VI index value for the understory crop to produce recommendations for how to manage the understory crop. 
     
     
         21 . The computer system of  claim 17 , wherein the processor electronics is configured to execute instructions to produce a printed report of where silviculture techniques should be applied to manage the understory crop.